The Fine Skill of Keeping Up with Appearances
by justrandome
Summary: Selina is left alone in a fancy gala and she meets someone she didn't expect, billionaire brat Bruce Wayne who certainly didn't expect to see her.


"So where's Bruce Wayne?"

Selina turned to look at the man who spoke behind her. He wasn't talking to her, no, she mostly went unnoticed by Gotham's so called elite, which was useful. Barbara Kean once told her that she was beautiful and that she could use her appearance as a weapon. Back then she didn't understand what she meant but now, as she got older she started to realize the potential hidden behind pretty dresses and empty smiles. Ivy really took that concept and ran with it. Selina however found that sometimes going unnoticed was really the best option.

The man was talking to his associates, all boring looking business men. Selina guessed them to be here for a possibility to get their hands on Wayne Enterprises. Bruce was young and naïve, she had heard them say. Selina had once agreed with them. The kid was in over his head but somehow he had manage to grow and survive, hell he even required some street cred which was easier said than done, especially in Gotham.

"I've heard he is going after some powerful people." Other man said to the first. Selina couldn't help but smile. They had no idea how right they were.

Selina looked for Tabitha but didn't see her. It was hers and Barbara's idea to go to this party, get potential customers but Selina being under drinking age was left here to watch their back. Selina was pretty sure adding underage drinking to her criminal record wouldn't change much plus the two same women were training and helping her to find her place in Gotham's criminal underbelly but she was really not that bothered by their decision. Here they had free food and ton of potential people to pickpocket and get some extra cash.

Selina let her eyes wander around the room. Nothing special, this place was no Iceberg Lounge. Just regular corrupted business men trying to get back on top. Something caught her eye however. Large amount of people had started to gather in middle of the room despite there being no special reason that Selina was aware of. Curious, she followed the stream of people to see what all the fuzz was about. The business men had also moved to the center of the room.

Selina has seen some pretty weird stuff in her life. She is working with a woman who came back from dead after all and that seems to be a regular thing that just happens in Gotham. Her old best-friend also aged up from weird kid to even weirder woman in under a day so Selina had assumed she had seen it all. Nothing could shock her anymore. City turns to madness? More than once. Someone tried to kill her? Must be Tuesday. But this was whole another level of crazy.

The one and only Bruce Wayne was standing in middle of the group gathered around him, laughing his ass off at something that Selina didn't know. Selina had never ever heard him laugh like that, especially in public. He was always too busy brooding in the dark to act normal but this was definitely not normal. He was leaning to some very stern man who looked like he would rather be in anywhere else than here. Bruce was leaning on him heavily, trying to stay on his feet.

"Ah, Mister Wayne, me and my colleagues have been looking for you." The man who Selina heard talking earlier hold out his hand for Bruce to take.

"And now you have found me. Please don't tell me you have some boring business stuff you want to talk about. I thought I hired people to take care of things like that for me." Bruce waved his hand dismissively in front of the business man who looked baffled. Selina shared his feeling. Bruce Wayne was many things but this was not one of them. It must be the Bruce's clown. He had gone mad.

Memory of him pushing her out of a window was still fresh on Selina's mind when the clone-Bruce noticed her. A flick of recognition lighted up his eyes only for a second. Then his smile grew even bigger.

"Ah, there is my good friend Selina Kyle! Come over here, would you." He lend his hand and winked at her.

Perhaps the first time in forever, Selina was completely loss of words. Not sure what to do, she stepped out closing herself off to clone-Bruce and looked at him confused. Clone-Bruce took his hand and lifted it up showing it around proudly.

"Isn't she a beauty? Selina is one of my dearest friends yes, none of that dull talk of responsibilities and rules unlike all of you. Why won't we dance?" Clone-Bruce continued his cocky attitude. Other guests looked confused but none of them wanted to upset the teenage-billionaire.

"There is no music." Selina tried to squirm out of the odd situation.

Clone-Bruce clapped his hands and low and behold, cheery music started playing. He turned to Selina, placed his other hand around her waist and led her to a dance. People around them looked as lost as Selina felt but followed their lead never the less. When they weren't center of attention anymore Clone-Bruce's expression changed.

"Sorry about that." He said still sounding cheerful.

"What the hell is this about? What have you done to real Bruce?" Selina threatened him.

Clone-Bruce looked at her confused. "Real Bruce…" Then he understood. "I am real Bruce. I am not him, Selina. That was just an act. Something Alfred and I came up with."

Selina looked skeptical. "You seemed like…"

"Like a billionaire brat?" He finished her sentence.

Selina nodded, still not convinced. "How do I know you are the real Bruce?"

"Ask me something that only the real Bruce would know?" He proposed.

"Fine." Selina thought of it for a moment. "What did you say to me after I first kissed you?"

"Nothing. You left before giving me time to react." Bruce answered, now back to his normal self. Maybe it was a real Bruce after all. Selina was still not convinced.

"How did I told you I knew you were the real Bruce? Back…"

"You told me I was too boring to be anyone else than me." Bruce chuckled. "I am sensing a pattern with these questions."

Selina rolled her eyes. Yep, it had to be Bruce, no-one else was this annoying while still making Selina feel like little butterflies were fluttering around inside her stomach. Not that she would ever admit that out loud of course.

"Shut up." She said. They danced around for a bit Bruce still looking annoyingly satisfied which, even more annoyingly, made Selina smile.

"Why the act then. You never bothered with it before." She asked to get her mind off of his stupidly good-looking face. Selina had to remember that she still was mad at him.

"Just something that will confuse others, I guess." He said avoiding Selina's eyes. She went after that weakness like a shark who had just smelled a drop of blood.

"Why would you need to confuse others?" She asked stepping closer to him. Before it might have made Bruce blush but he had grown up since the first days they met.

"You tell me, Selina. You are the one who is constantly switching sides and loyalties. Fish, Penguin, Tabitha and now Barbara…" He listed.

Selina was tempted to get mad at him but she knew there was no malice behind his words. If he wanted to hurt her he would go with a different rout. "I see your point."

The son finished and another one started. This time it was less cheery but Bruce and Selina continued dancing anyway. Selina had no idea where the music was coming from, she saw no band earlier but maybe Bruce had made up a one from thin air with money or something.

"You look very beautiful, Selina." Bruce said after some silence. Selina resisted a smile.

"Thanks. You are getting better at this." She said.

"At what?" Bruce asked.

"Talking to girls." She poked fun of.

It was Bruce's turn to roll his eyes. "You just can't resist to poke fun of me, can't you?"

This time Selina smiled. "Someone has to."

They moved across the floor with comfortable silence. Other couples were whispering around them but none dared to interrupt their moment.

"Are we cool now?" Bruce asked.

"No, I am still mad at you." Selina said.

"You don't seem mad." Bruce pointed out.

"Weren't you the one who was talking about keeping up an act?" Selina shot back a grin on her lips.

Just as Bruce was about to answer his eyes went from Selina's to behind her. He let her go taking couple steps back. "See you around, Selina." He said.

Selina turned to see what he was looking at and saw that Tabitha and Barbara had returned. She looked back to where Bruce was standing just to find him disappeared to a thin air. She frowned but let the matter go and returned to her partners in crime. It had been an evening full of surprises, something that Selina should get used to. At least this night had been fun, Selina thought as she left with Tabitha and Barbara still seeing no trace of Bruce.

* * *

A/N: I just wanted to appreciate baby BatCat. Just let my children be happy and safe.


End file.
